


Someday we’ll walk together again

by elenlith



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-26
Updated: 2013-10-25
Packaged: 2017-12-13 01:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/818486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenlith/pseuds/elenlith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long time ago a god and a goddess fell in love. Requited love should be cause for rejoicing. Their union wasn’t. Every deity cried bitter tears when they saw the golden god and the dark goddess together and happy, because they knew it wouldn’t last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Oh dear. I can’t believe Enjolras and Eponine made me write again after literally AGES.  
> It’s just a very short drabble, but I couldn’t get it out of my head. All those mythological fics inspired me I guess. If - and it’s a big IF - inspiration strikes again (also, if rl permits it) I’ll write a follow-up.  
> I hope it doesn’t suck and I hope my English isn’t too bad…  
> Oh, I made a photoset for this on Tumblr (I'm elenlith there too)!

A long time ago a god and a goddess fell in love.

Requited love should be cause for rejoicing. Their union wasn’t. Every deity cried bitter tears when they saw the golden god and the dark goddess together and happy, because they knew it wouldn’t last. Fate had decreed that their love would wreak havoc and destruction upon mortals.

You see, when two divine beings fall in love they shine. They’re ablaze with affection, desire, bliss and lust. Water gets purer, the winds blow stronger, the earth sings.

But if the lovers themselves are already unbelievably powerful, a force such as love burning in their veins will only generate chaos. Water will boil, the winds will turn into hurricanes, the earth will shake. And the god and the goddess were the brightest, the mightiest, the most gifted of all.

So the Father and the Mother of the gods summoned the couple, though with a heavy heart, and told them the sad truth. And with tears in their eyes, they ordered them to say goodbye.

No words, no language on earth will ever be able to convey the desperation that filled the eyes of the goddess. No curse whatsoever will ever be as terrible as the enraged god.

They refused to part. They refused, and hand in hand they challenged the entire pantheon. All the gods hung their head in sorrow. Nothing was more magnificent and heartbreaking than the two lovers right then and there.

The Father of the gods sighed. He took his wife’s hand, and together they started chanting. A strong wind rose and blew through the pearly halls of the palace. The other gods cowered and hid behind the translucent columns, sensing the insanely great power of the spell. There was a bright flash of light and then silence. The lovers had disappeared.

“What… what was that, Father? Where are they?” asked a curly haired god, his blue eyes almost feverish.

“We sent them back to their realms. But… we also erased the memories of each other from their minds.” answered the Mother with a sad shake of the head.

“And I hereby command” said the Father “that the god Enjolras only walk the earth when the sun shines in the sky, and that the goddess Eponine walk the earth under the moonlight. They will never meet again.”

A thunder shook the heavens, as if to validate the order.

*

In a meadow blooming with poppies and cornflowers a golden god walks with a spring in his step. His hands caress the smooth flower petals. He sniffs the sweet summer air, tilts his face towards the warm sun, sighs in contentment. A white dove flutters by.

Down in the underworld a dark goddess dips her toes in the crystal waters of a cave; the soft sound of a thousand drops falling gently from white stalactites soothes her. A pair of bright blue eyes follow her every movement from the shadows.

The dove finally perches on Enjolras’ shoulder, cooing and rubbing her tiny head against his cheek.

A midnight black cat appears next to Eponine and pushes his head against her hand, purring.

They don’t know the two animals are a gift from the Father and Mother. They don’t know the spell they were subjected to extracted from them all their love. They don’t know the Mother took Eponine’s love for the golden god and modelled it into a white dove. They don’t know she modelled Enjolras’ love for the dark goddess into a blue-eyed cat.

These gifts are an apology, but the two have no idea: no idea of what they have lost, no memory of having lost anything. They would be surprised to know these two animals are meant to make them feel less lonely, to make them feel somewhat loved. They have no idea the other exists.

And if sometimes they glimpse a shadow of sadness in the eyes of the other gods, they dismiss it as a trick of the light.

 

       


	2. Chapter 2

Marius and Cosette. Cosette and Marius. Thinking about one of them meant thinking of the other. The god of love and the goddess of marriage. When they got together no one was surprised; their happiness spread over, and deities, mortals, animals, trees, rivers, everything was filled up with warmth, contentment and renewed energy. They loved each other fiercely, with loyalty and tenacity.

Of course their gentle souls were the most affected when tragedy struck Eponine and Enjolras. Not to mention that they both had a special kind of friendship with the unfortunate couple. Marius and Enjolras were always very close; they shared the same ideals, they passionately discussed every topic that would catch their attention, they had fought together alongside mortals, always for a righteous cause, for justice, for freedom. Cosette had been raised alongside Eponine, and despite a rocky start - they were so different, after all - they had soon managed to find common ground, and they had been inseparable ever since.

After Eponine and Enjolras’ memories of each other were wiped away, Marius and Cosette tried very hard to interact with their friends like they did before. They found out that keeping such a heavy secret from them was almost unbearable. They didn’t dare disobey their Father’s will because they were painfully conscious he had done the right thing. But Cosette’s eyes were often red-rimmed, and Marius’ smile had lost quite a bit of its dazzling force.

A dull pain took permanent residence inside their chests.  
Every night Cosette spent walking bare-footed on the dewy grass alongside Eponine, every golden afternoon Marius passed conversing with Enjolras in a sun-kissed field, every moment felt for both of them as if they were being crushed under the weight of the secret; only the knowledge that without their friends they would have felt even worse made them carry on.

*

“He won’t stop staring at you, you know. You might as well go back looking at me while we talk” Eponine said, smirking.  
Cosette chuckled. “I’m sorry, he just has hypnotic eyes. He’s so beautiful” she answered, reaching out to pet Eponine’s cat on his head, smoothing down his glossy black fur. He closed his blue eyes, purring.

“Yes, he is. I’m very lucky, he’s… quite special.” Eponine murmured with a soft smile.

“What do you mean?” Cosette asked quietly.

Eponine lifted her head to gaze at the starry sky. “He came to me a week ago. I was down in the underworld, staring into a pool of water so clear I could see every detail of my appearance. It was a lovely place, really. Thousands of shiny stalactites, whiter than snow. And then, suddenly, he was there with me. I felt content in that cave, at peace. But as soon as I saw him, I felt… It felt like…” Eponine stopped talking, a frown marring her forehead.

“…yes?” Cosette gently prompted.

“It’s difficult to explain. I suppose… oh, it sounds utterly stupid, but I suppose it was the feeling you get when you’re with Marius. You know… _love_.” Eponine concluded shyly. She let herself fall to the ground. The grass was soft under her body, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation.  
She didn’t notice Cosette’s expression going from shocked to heartbroken, her eyes filling up with tears. The goddess of marriage turned away from her friend, paced a bit to calm herself, then said with a slightly forced smile “I’d better go now.”

Eponine opened her eyes. “Sure. I’ll see you soon?”

“Of course, Eponine”. The two goddesses smiled at each other, then Eponine settled on the grass more comfortably, the light of the stars reflected in her eyes. The cat moved next to her, curling up against her side.

Feeling like a hand was squeezing her throat to prevent her from breathing, Cosette asked “Eponine, what did you name him?”.

“I called him Sun.”

Cosette flinched. Eponine misinterpreted her reaction, and rolling her eyes she said “I know, I know, he’s black, this night sky is probably a shade paler than he is. But, I don’t know. I have the feeling that name belongs to him.”

Cosette nodded, then left without a word, knowing she was dangerously close to a breakdown. She needed to find Marius, and then she needed to talk to Mother.

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of E/R fluff!

“…oh gods, could you believe that? He called the dove _Nox_!”

“Marius…”

“And he kept going on and on about how much he feels loved and cherished now that she’s with him!”

“Marius…”

“And it really broke my heart, I had to pretend I hurt my foot to explain my tears! Oh Cosette, my beloved Cosette, I don’t think I can...”

“Marius!”

The god of love stopped talking. “Yes my love?”

“Eponine is in the exact same situation. We might have a problem.”

“Oh. _Oh_!” Marius’ shoulders slumped. “Those poor souls… Oh Cosette, it’s only been a week, the spell is supposed to be more than strong, but they already _remember_! How can a love so fierce and so beautiful be doomed?”

Cosette smiled sadly. “We need to tell Mother, don’t you think?”

“Must we tell her, Cosette? Enjolras and Eponine have already suffered more than anyone has ever suffered. If we tell Mother that they remember a pale echo of what they had, she could tell Father! And they might decide that the spell isn’t enough. They could decide the cat and the dove might bring dangerous memories back. They could make them disappear! Cosette…”

“I know. _I know_ ” the goddess whispered, her clear eyes brimming with tears. “But we can’t ignore this. What if they remember it all? What if the spell breaks and they’re able to meet? What then? We can’t risk the destruction of this world. We just can’t, Marius.”

Marius hung his head in defeat; his cheeks were wet with tears. “It’s not fair. It’s not fair.”

Cosette hugged him tightly. She didn’t need to say anything to make sure he knew she wholeheartedly agreed with him.

*

Being the god of the sun, Enjolras naturally loved spending his time outside under the hot golden rays. Fields, meadows, prairies, he walked and walked through them all, caressing leaves, flowers, blades of grass. Nature all around him grew stronger, taller and more beautiful, his influence as deity of summer bestowing a brighter energy to the vegetation.

Nox usually fluttered about in his proximity, perching on his shoulder every now and then to peck his cheek affectionately with her beak.

One day Enjolras lost sight of the dove, and after calling for her in a mild panic for half an hour, he reached a bubbling stream of clear water. He kneeled and washed his face, letting the cool drops slide down his face, neck and chest. A silvery laugh draw his attention; he looked around and saw the silhouette of a man, knee deep in the water, walking towards him. The man had unruly, curly hair, and he was laughing softly at something Enjolras couldn’t see.

“Grantaire?”

“Hello Enj. I just met your lovely dove; she led me to you.”

Enjolras’ eyes widened. “Nox? Where is she?”

Grantaire smiled. “She’s right behind you.”

The blonde god turned, and there she was: on the grass, surrounded by daisies, looking almost... smug. Enjolras crouched down beside her and caressed her tiny head with a finger. “You had me worried sick, you know?” he murmured softly. She just cooed, closing her eyes.

Grantaire flung himself down on the damp grass, looking at Enjolras with his blue-green gaze. He wondered, noticing how calm and serene the god of the sun appeared, how unfair the whole memory-wiping spell had been.

Grantaire was the god of earthly pleasures and divine inspiration, the god of fevered passions and steadfast perseverance. In a way he had very much in common with Enjolras. When Grantaire felt his passions rise, be it for a cause, for a person, for whatever caught his fancy, he was able to focus all his attention and care towards it. But unlike Enjolras, he wasn’t able to draw a line, he didn’t seem to know his limit. He wasted his energies on the object of his passion to the point that more than once the golden god had had to drag him away and make him see reason. So they were also the opposite of each other, Grantaire and Enjolras. Enjolras, who never let destructive emotions take control of his actions, who never indulged in lust, who fought his battles with a passion that never clouded his judgement. The same Enjolras who had fallen so deeply for the goddess of the Underworld that he had dared to challenge all the gods in the attempt to defend his right to love and be loved. Grantaire asked himself how was it fair that he could live every day of his life at the mercy of his passions and always get away with it, while Enjolras had had to endure such a cruel punishment for surrendering to true love just once in his life. Since he had been forced to witness Mother and Father cast their spell without being able to do anything to stop them, Grantaire had been living with guilt gnawing away at his heart.

Without a word, he reached out and pulled Enjolras to him. The blonde god made no resistance and settled himself with his head on his friend’s lap, sighing contentedly when long, cool fingers started stroking his hair tenderly. Grantaire always showed his affection to him that way, but Enjolras couldn’t imagine that this time was different. This time Grantaire’s touch carried much more than fondness; it carried sorrow, support, a request for forgiveness.

“Enj,” Grantaire began. “I hope you know that I love you.”

Enjolras chuckled. “Of course I know that. I love you too.” He turned his head so that he was able to look at his friend. “Why are you suddenly so unsure?”

“No reason. I just want to make sure that you know you can always trust me.”

“I know that, R. I trust you completely.” Enjolras took his friend’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Right on cue, Nox flew on Grantaire’s shoulder, cooing softly. Enjolras smiled. “See? She also trusts you.”

The curly haired god felt a tiny bit of guilt disappearing from his conscience. He smiled faintly and kept on stroking Enjolras’ hair and forehead.

“R? Can I ask you something?” the blonde said after a while.

“Of course.”

“I know I am supposed to leave earth at dusk to spend my nights at the palace of the gods, and I know it’s always been like that. But... I guess lately I’ve felt the desire to look at the night sky from here. I don’t know why, it just... it seems so strange to me that I’ve never lingered on earth after sunset. Do you think... do you think I could ask Father to let me stay here, just for one night?”

Grantaire’s heart missed a beat.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Silence met Enjolras’ question.

Grantaire thought frantically about a million possible answers, and before his friend could notice his hesitation he cleared his voice.

“Um. Well, it’s certainly a pretty unusual request... uh, especially coming from you. You, uh...”

“You think I shouldn’t ask Father?”

Grantaire knew he had to lie. He felt sick at the thought, but he knew he didn’t have a choice.

“Well... You know I’m not renowned for thinking ahead. But this time I feel like some serious planning is in order. Father is usually fair and just, but I don’t think anyone has ever even thought about asking him something... well, something so outside the box, you know?”

Enjolras arched an eyebrow. Grantaire desperately tried not to flush with embarrassment. He was very well aware he was just blurting out a perfect heap of nonsense, but he had to stop Enjolras from pursuing that dangerous train of thought.

“Um, you know what? Let _me_ ask Father; let’s pretend it’s _my_ idea, so if he’s displeased he won’t be mad for long, since making insane requests is very typical of me. Alright?”

Enjolras lifted himself up so that he was sitting on the grass, facing his friend. He had a sullen expression on his face. Grantaire thought the sunrays had suddenly lost their warmth.

“You think my request is insane?” Enjolras asked, quietly.

Grantaire paled. “NO! Enj, I’d never...”

The blonde interrupted him. “It seems to me that the only insane thing here is that I’ve never spent a night on earth! And I am a god, it’s not like I haven’t been around for a long time! I thought _you_ , of all people, would agree with me.” His tone was so dejected Grantaire felt even guiltier.

“Enjolras, listen to me! Don’t you EVER think I’m not on your side, you hear me? I’ll always support you, _always_. I didn’t mean to imply your request is insane. I was merely assuming Father would think like that. I’ll do whatever I can to convince him, I promise.” Grantaire took Enjolras’ hand and kissed it. “You can trust me, always.”  
Enjolras looked at him with shiny eyes. “Thank you, R.”

Grantaire knew he had messed up royally, but he was willing to face the consequences if he could just keep on making Enjolras smile like that. Gods knew he deserved to smile.

*

Water lilies at night gave off such a luscious scent Eponine felt inebriated. Cool water lapped at her calves while she reclined her head to stare at the starry sky above her. Sun was playing on the edge of the pond, pawing at a blue water lily.

“Jehan... would you describe the sky to me?” she asked.

Jehan, god of water, of history and words, was floating amidst the flowers, in the middle of the pond. He emerged gracefully from the water, walking towards Eponine. Droplets glistened on his pale skin, reflecting the moonlight; it was as if he was covered in pearls. A water lily was entwined in his silvery hair. Eponine had always admired his eerie beauty, although she loved him more for his character than for his looks.

He sat himself beside her, letting his legs dangle in the water, and spoke in a quiet voice.

“The sky above is a dark silky veil, spread out over the gleaming splendour of the gods to protect the eyes of the mortals. It’s a veil so ancient and so thin that some of the light seeps through. The mortals love it, as they should, and call it starlight.” Jehan smiled at Eponine, amused. “Why do you ask?”

The goddess chuckled. “I love your little history lessons. But actually I was referring to the sky... during the day.”

“Oh. You’ve never expressed an interest in it before.”

“I know. Is-is it bad that I asked? I know it shouldn’t concern me, but I feel this... this weird longing, and I have no idea why, it seems so strange to me. Why would I long for something I’ve never seen? I thought maybe your beautiful words could help me. Maybe if I can picture the sky in my mind, this feeling will go away. It’s...” Eponine shifted, uncomfortable. “It’s unnerving and far from pleasant, and I don’t like it.”

Jehan looked at her closely. He realized exactly what was happening, but he couldn’t say anything to her, so he resolved to help her the only way he knew.

“I won’t describe the sky to you, Eponine. I’ll do better: I’ll show you.”

Eponine gasped. “Show me? But... how? I can’t!”

Jehan smiled. He loved how innocent Eponine sometimes could be. He marvelled at her ability to keep her sweet demeanour even after all that had happened. Then again, she didn’t remember anything; if only she knew the truth Jehan was sure her wrath would be terrible. His heart ached deeply for her and Enjolras.

“Just trust me and take my hand.” He offered his palm to her, expectantly.

Eponine smiled, a little unsure, and took the proffered hand. Quicker than lightning, Jehan unexpectedly yanked her into the pond. Black water closed in above Eponine’s head, but she stayed calm. Her friend had took her by surprise, but she loved water; she watched in fascination as her dress billowed and floated all around her in big puffs of white. She looked up at the surface and smiled reassuringly at the wavering silhouette of her cat, who was eyeing the water suspiciously.

Jehan placed a hand on the small of her back, and nudged her forward. They swam for a little while in silence. The cool water tickled Eponine’s skin. She loved the feeling of breathing underwater.

Jehan reached the bottom of the pond, turned his body so that his back touched the sand and looked up. Eponine mirrored him, and as soon as she raised her gaze upwards she let out a gasp: hundreds of blue water lily leaves covered every inch of the surface. Moon rays filtered through, plunging in the dark blue depths. It looked like...

_This is the sky during the day, Eponine._

Jehan’s voice resonated in her mind. If she had not been already underwater, she would have cried.

_It’s so beautiful, Jehan. It’s... it’s so blue!_

Her expression was a mixture of happiness, awe and something else entirely. She stayed still for a long time, unable to tear her gaze away from the blueness above, so Jehan took his time observing her. Her lips trembled, her clasped hands shook. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jehan raised an eyebrow. It was an odd reaction, considering. He had expected surprise, laughter, joy. Not this.

_Are you alright, Eponine?_

_I... I need to..._

Jehan watched, dismayed, as Eponine swam away from him towards the edge of the pond. He followed her, saw that she had emerged coughing and gasping, and knew that something wasn’t right. Deities were perfectly capable of breathing underwater, so the only explanation for the coughing and the gasping had to be distress. Her cat watched her with his sapphire eyes and moved next to her, rubbing his head against her ankles and purring loudly.

He approached the goddess, whispering “Eponine? Sweet Eponine, what’s the matter with you?”

“I... I had a vision. I saw myself walking under the sun. It seemed so real, like it was a memory! How is that possible Jehan?” She turned her unhappy gaze on him. “Am I going crazy? I’ve never walked under the sun in my entire life!”

Jehan did what his instinct suggested him: he hugged Eponine tightly and caressed her long dark hair, whispering sweet calming words until her shaking subsided.

“You’re not going crazy, ‘Ponine. You probably just remembered a dream. It’s not unusual, you know, when you’re in a very emotional state of mind. That vision is nothing worth worrying about.”

_I never knew I could lie so easily_ , Jehan thought. _Then again, words flow easily from my mouth, and lies are made of words._

“Tell me more about it, ‘Ponine. Maybe describing it will help you determine whether it’s a dream.”

Eponine sniffled softly. “There’s not much to say... I just saw a meadow full of flowers, full of colour. I remember hearing laughter.”

“Were you alone in that meadow?” Jehan asked, feeling rather apprehensive.

“Yes... Sun wasn’t there. Why? Is it important?”

_At least she doesn’t remember him._

“I was merely curious, dearest.”

“Jehan... what does it mean? Is it possible that I was remembering a dream?”

“I think it is. You asked me to describe the sky to you; that means you wish to see it. It is very likely that you also dreamt about it, ‘Ponine.”

The goddess nodded, but she kept on crying silently.

Jehan stroked Eponine’s head until she fell asleep in his arms. Then he carried her back into the water; she was so exhausted she didn’t wake up. As soon as Sun had mustered the courage to dive, Jehan swam towards the left side of the pond. He entered a tunnel and swam through an underground river that connected the pond to a lake in the underworld. He laid the goddess down gently on the shore; Sun emerged from the water, looking miserable; he curled up next to Eponine’s head, placing his chin on her shoulder and watching Jehan through sleepy eyes. The god looked down at his friend with sad eyes. He kissed her forehead softly and turned to leave, set on finding Cosette as soon as possible.

 


	5. Chapter 5

In every story there’s always a moment when the players must meet, because there’s something important that needs to be brought to attention. Whether that important something is of a worrying nature or is excellent news, at some point the designated characters come together at the same time and place.

Thus happened when Cosette, Marius, Jehan and Grantaire stepped into the hall of the Palace, celestial residence of the Deities.

It was dawn. The sky was a lovely shade of pink, and the sunrays painted the white marble columns with a pale golden light. Cosette looked resplendent in the morning hues, when she stepped quietly in. Marius, walking behind her, simply glowed: the light of dawn is dear to lovers. It covers everything in velvety tones, showing translucent eyelids, dark lashes, rosy cheeks and the hard planes or soft curves of two entwined naked bodies. It is a moment of quiet discovery. Jehan’s appearance had become slightly less ethereal, the blue hues of his skin made almost white by the warm sunshine, while Grantaire, with his pensive expression and troubled eyes, acquired a more relaxed stance.

The four deities met at the centre of the hall. Having grown up together they naturally knew how to read each other’s faces. It took them just one look to understand that they had gathered together for a common reason.

“They start to remember” they murmured in unison.

*

Sunrise was the part of the day when Eponine, after leaving earth and descending to the Underworld, felt languorous and dizzy. She couldn’t explain why. She accepted the situation and tried to find some relief by swimming in her favourite underground lake; its waters were cool and clear, and Eponine loved to spend a long time bathing under the small waterfall.

That morning she mentally thanked Jehan, who had deposited her on the shore of that lake the night before. She remembered crying and feeling miserable, but her thoughts were still a bit fuzzy, so she shook her head and sank into the water.

She swam lazily towards the waterfall, enjoying the calm, when a persistent meow caught her attention. She rose from the water and looked around. Sun was looking at something behind her, his eyes wide open.

Eponine whirled around abruptly. At first she didn’t see anything, so she turned her head to look at her cat, confused. The feline hadn’t shifted his gaze though, so the goddess turned again towards the waterfall and stared. For a long minute she just made her eyes roam over her surroundings, the lake, the rocks, the waterfall... _the waterfall_! Eponine almost jumped in fright. There was something beyond the glittering sheet of water. It was very blurred, of course, but it almost looked like... the silhouette of a man.

Eponine tilted her head, curious. Like her cat before her, she stared at the figure for a long time, wide-eyed. After a while she started moving slowly forwards, as if she was under a spell. She reached the waterfall, drawn towards it like a moth to a flame. She got so close to the water she could feel thousands of droplets covering every inch of her skin. She thought the silhouette beyond the waterfall had moved too.

Eponine raised her hand, flattening her palm on the water’s surface.

_Raise your hand_ , she found herself thinking. _Raise it_!

She couldn’t explain why, she just felt it was important that the person beyond the water copied her.

Her heart beat faster when, after a minute, she caught movement on the other side.

_He’s doing it! He heard me!_

She felt her heart hammering in her chest, like a caged bird desperate for freedom, while she watched the figure lift its arm and splay its fingers. The hand got closer, and closer, and closer, until it touched the very same spot Eponine’s hand was placed on.

A very powerful jolt of electricity struck her all of a sudden, and the force of it threw her body violently backwards. She fell ungracefully into the water, whimpering.

She blinked a few times, blinded by the water. She couldn’t see anything, hear anything beside the frantic beating of her heart.

_What was that? Who was that man?_

Eponine blinked again. Something was wrong. There was too much light. Way too much. She covered her eyes with her hands, but the cave was flooded in the brightest white glare and it showed no sign of decreasing. Her eyes hurt a lot, they were tearing up. The light was too strong, too strong, it was like looking directly at the Sun.

_Help! Someone help me!_

*

On the surface of the earth, in the heart of a forest, the god of the sun walks blindly out of a lake. The silvery sound of a waterfall and the happy chirping of colourful birds are lost to him. He falls on the sandy shore, clutching at his face in pain. He can’t see anything. His blue eyes are unfocused and wide with terror. There’s only darkness around him.

_Help!_ he thinks, desperately. _Someone help me!_

__


	6. Chapter 6

Cosette, Marius, Grantaire and Jehan all turned their heads sharply to the side, at the same time. A deep silence fell on the hall, while the four deities strained their ears to catch the voices that had distracted them.

_Help! Someone help me!_

Marius gasped. “It’s Eponine! She’s in distress! We must go at on-”

“Enjolras is screaming too” Grantaire interrupted him, calmly. “The same words. Cosette, you come with me. Jehan, go with Marius and help Eponine. Keep your minds open, we’ll need to communicate at a distance”

The others nodded and hurried away.

Grantaire took Cosette’s hand and asked “Ready?”

The goddess nodded, her mouth set in a straight line; they both closed their eyes and took off.

*

Gods and goddesses have more than one way to travel. When they’re in a hurry, in times such as these, they can tune their mind to the place they wish to go, or to the person they wish to see, and appear right there in an instant.

Grantaire and Cosette followed Enjolras’ voice, and when they reopened their eyes they really didn’t know what to expect. Certainly not the still blue waters of a mountain lake.

They looked around, blinking. The trees surrounding the lake swayed gently to the breeze; the roar of a waterfall and the loud chirping of birds covered any other sound. If Enjolras was nearby, he wouldn’t be able to hear them. Exchanging a glance, Cosette and Grantaire split up, walking along the stony shore in search of the god of the sun.

After a while, just when Grantaire’s thoughts grew more desperate and threatened to plummet into further darkness, a quiet whisper from the goddess of marriage reached his mind.

_He’s here._

Grantaire joined her in an instant. She was crouched under a tree, Enjolras’ head cradled in her lap. He looked fine, if a little pale. His blue eyes were wide open, almost as if he was afraid of something. His dove was perched on Cosette’s shoulder, looking down at him with such an anxious expression she looked almost human.

Grantaire kneeled down beside him and took his hand. Enjolras flinched, his head jerking frantically in all directions, his eyes wild.

“Enj… it’s me. R. Don’t you recognize me?” Grantaire asked, stunned.

Enjolras’ expression instantly turned to regret. “Oh, R, I’m so sorry. It’s just that I… I cannot…” His voice broke.

Cosette looked at Grantaire, her fair gaze pained. “He cannot see, Grantaire. There’s only darkness around him. He’s… he’s blind.”

Enjolras closed his eyes. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

Grantaire watched him, his heart breaking.

“How did it happen?”

*

“Please make it stop, please please PLEASE!” Eponine’s sobs resonated throughout the cave.

Jehan and Marius had found her huddled on the sandy shore of the underground lake. The gentle waves kept her body and dress completely soaked, but she didn’t seem to care. She was crying and wailing in pain, rocking back and forth, her hands pressed hard on her eyes. Her small frame was wracked by terrible sobs, she looked inconsolable: even her cat, who kept rubbing his head against her back, seemed incapable of rousing some reaction from her.

The two gods kneeled beside her; Marius started caressing her hair gently, while Jehan touched her hands, trying to pry them delicately off her face. Eponine did not budge. If anything, she pressed her hands harder on her face, and her crying doubled.

Marius spoke, softly. “Eponine, what’s wrong? Are you hurt? Talk to us, Eponine, please.”

“It’s too bright… I can’t see… my eyes, they HURT SO MUCH!” she screamed the last part, shaking and sobbing when Jehan wrapped her into his arms.

“Eponine, you must tell us what happened, so that we may help you. Please, talk to us” Jehan murmured into her hair.

“T-there was someone… a-a man, I believe… beyond the waterfall. I was drawn towards it, I don’t know why, I-I don’t think I was entirely in my right mind… and I raised m-my hand and he did the same and when our hands t-touched I was thrown backwards… and then…”

“…and then?” Marius prompted, pale and frightened like a child listening to a scary tale.

Eponine shook her head. “Then the l-light came. I can’t see anything, there’s too much light, it’s l-like being in the same r-room with the sun. My eyes hurt, make it stop, make it stop, please!”

*

_Cosette? Grantaire?_

_We’re here. We found him. How’s Eponine?_

_She’s… she’s… oh gods, why, why must she be-_

_Marius means that Eponine is blind. She says her eyes hurt and all she can see is a bright white light, like… looking directly at the sun._

_Oh gods, Jehan, are you sure? Enjolras is… he’s…_

_He’s blind too, Jehan. But he can only see darkness. He didn’t recognize my presence, he was panicking._

_What?? What happened to him? Is he alright? Is he hurt?_

_Calm down, Marius. He’s not hurt, but he’s not alright, obviously. He said he was swimming in the lake when he glimpsed a shadow beyond the waterfall-_

_The waterfall? Cosette, where are you?_

_We’re by a mountain lake. Why?_

_One of you, get in front of the waterfall. Now._

_But-_

_No questions, one of you, go to the waterfall immediately!_

*

“R??”

“Marius!”

The two gods looked at each other, gobsmacked. Soaked to the bone, they both understood what had happened to their friends.

“Oh gods… oh gods…”

“Calm down, Marius. Go through the waterfall again, get back to Jehan and explain what happened. Come on.” Grantaire squeezed Marius’ hand and turned, heading back to Cosette and Enjolras.

*

_Jehan? Has Marius stopped hyperventilating?_

_Don’t mock him, R, come on. This is serious. They met. They actually met for an instant._

_And when their hands touched… what happened exactly? Why are they… like this?_

_I’m not sure, Cosette. But I fear their blindness has something to do with the spell cast on them. What do we do now?_

_I…_

_My love? Are you alright?_

_I’m not sure, actually… I… I’m afraid there’s only one thing we can do. But… I dare not think of the consequences._

_Tell us, sweet Cosette._

_We need to tell Mother._

__


	7. Chapter 7

_Is that absolutely necessary Cosette?_

_That was my intention all along. I agree we mustn’t tell Father yet, but we need to ask someone who knows the spell, who can explain what’s going on._

_Alright, you have a point. You go and explain all this mess to her. We’ll focus on relieving their pain, they can’t go on like that._

_What do you suggest, Jehan?_

_We should bring Joly here._

*

The god of healing walked dolefully among the beds, running his fingers lightly on the foreheads of the gravely ill. They all felt his soothing presence: their breathing eased, their fever broke, their sleep deepened.

Joly sighed. Almost everyone begged him for his assistance, and his heart was so big he never left anything unanswered. Of all the gods, he was the most “human”: every time his abilities were required, he connected with the sick in a way that most of the time permitted him to help them successfully. But his extraordinary empathy was a double-edged sword: the sickness, the wounds, the inevitable deaths, they always took their toll on him. He was a gentle soul who perpetually worried over illnesses. Quite the paradox, for a god, but every deity knew it, and they were all prepared and capable of taking care of him when he suffered his anxiety crises; no one could really blame him.

Marius found him outside the temple where the sick had gathered; he was walking away, leaning against the marble wall for support.

Before Marius could get his attention, Joly doubled over, clutched his stomach and retched on the grass.

“Joly! Hey… hey Joly. Here, let me help you.” Marius walked behind him, circling his friend’s chest with one arm to support his weight. With the other hand he moved Joly’s hair from his forehead, and whispered reassurances in his ear.

After a while Joly’s heaving subsided, and he managed a few steps on his own. He took Marius’ hand and led him towards an elder tree; they sat down in its shade, sighing.

“Are you alright Joly? Can I do something for you?” Marius asked, concerned. He had come to ask for his help, and he needed to be sure Joly could offer it.

“I’m fine. I just finished defeating an epidemic, and I’m a bit tired.”

Marius took Joly’s hand and squeezed it.

“I’m sorry my friend, but I’m very proud of you.”

Joly smiled faintly.

“Thank you Marius. Now, what is it you wanted to tell me? I can feel your distress.”

Marius blushed. Cosette always said he wore his heart on his sleeve. He was easily readable, but then again, Joly was empathic, and he was the god of love: emotions showed themselves plainly on his face.

“Joly, we need your help. I mean, Enjolras and Eponine need your help.”

The god of healing widened his eyes and started trembling.

“Eponine and Enjolras? Did they remember? _Did they meet?_ Is this world safe no longer?” His terrified tone tore at Marius’ heart.

“They didn’t meet, Joly, they didn’t. Come with me, I’ll explain everything, but we must hurry.”

Joly nodded, took his friend’s hand and disappeared along with him.

*

Cosette kneeled in front of her Mother’s sparkling throne. It was etiquette, really. Fantine knew she had her children’s love and respect, so all the bows and the curtseys were made more out of habit than out of necessity.

“Dearest Cosette” she told the young goddess. “Walk with me.”

Fantine got up and took her daughter’s hand. Together they walked out of the white marble hall and reached the gardens, where they chose a cool, shadowy path and strolled along it.

“Speak to me, dearest. I can tell you are worried about something.”

Cosette, who had been silent the whole time, sighed.

“You’re right, Mother. I’m deeply concerned and I need your help and advice… but I also need something from you first.” Cosette fell silent, and bit her lower lip.

Fantine frowned. “What is it, my child?” she asked, her kind dark eyes fixed on her daughter.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, and I assure you I wouldn’t dare if the situation wasn’t dire. I need you to promise me… n-not to tell Father.” Cosette whispered her request. It was unprecedented, to ask the Mother of the gods to hide something from her husband.

Fantine looked at her closely. She must have read good intentions and innocence on her daughter’s face, because after a while she smiled and said “Of course. Tell me everything.”

*

“I can’t take it anymore… Jehan please, help me… make the pain go away, please…”

Eponine’s voice was growing fainter by the minute, and her pleas more desperate. Her eyes were tightly shut, but tears streamed down her cheeks. The light that blinded her hadn’t dimmed, although Jehan had carried her in the darkest corner of the underground cave.

The god of water watched her helplessly; Eponine had her head in his lap, and he was trying to comfort her to the best of his abilities, but to no avail: her suffering didn’t wane.

At last they heard voices approaching.

“Joly! Oh, thank all the gods!” Jehan whispered.

The god of healing nodded and hurriedly kneeled next to Eponine. His face was pale, his expression tight.

“Eponine, can you hear me?” he asked softly, placing his hands on the goddess’ face.

“J-Joly?” Eponine said in a tiny voice.

“Eponine, I’m here to help. Remove your hands and relax your mind. I need to look at you.”

She whimpered, and slowly, trembling, she took her hands off her face. Marius took them in his, steadying her.

Joly cupped Eponine’s face and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

“Eponine, I need to look into your eyes” he said.

She flinched, terrified. “I can’t. I can’t Joly. The light will blind you. And the pain…”

“The pain won’t disappear unless you do as I say. Trust me, ‘Ponine. I’m here to take the pain away” he said firmly.

She bit her lower lip, and then nodded.

“On three. One… two… three!”

Eponine opened her eyes.

A flash of white blinding light flooded the whole cave. Eponine and Joly screamed. Marius and Jehan covered their eyes, gasping. Then darkness returned, and silence fell.

“’Eponine?” Marius called, blinking.

“I’m… I’m fine. I can see now. The light’s gone. The pain is gone” she answered in disbelief. Both Marius and Jehan hugged her tightly.

“Joly, you did it!” Marius laughed, turning towards him.

The god of healing was nowhere to be seen.

“Joly? Where are you?” Eponine called.

“Joly?” Jehan got up, looking around in worry. The three of them started looking for him, on the shore, in the water, behind the shiny white stalagmites.

“I found him! He’s unconscious! Come here, quickly!” Marius exclaimed.

Eponine and Jehan rushed to him and tried to revive Joly, but the god of healing had gone deathly pale, his head lolling helplessly to one side. Marius panicked.

“Oh gods, oh gods, what happened to him? Why won’t he wake up? What do we do now, what about Enjolras?”

Jehan’s head whipped up to glare at Marius. The god of love realized his mistake a second too late.

“Enjolras?” Eponine said. “Who’s Enjolras?”

 


	8. Chapter 8

Eponine’s question still resonated in the air when Marius and Jehan looked at each other helplessly.

“Um… Enjolras is… well, he’s no one, really.” Jehan said.

Eponine arched one eyebrow. “I can always tell when I’m being lied to. You know that.”

“Well,” Marius intervened. “He didn’t mean Enjolras is _no one_. Of course he’s someone! He’s just, you know, no one of consequence.”

Eponine let out an incredulous huff of laughter. “Come on, don’t insult my intelligence, you just said that he needs Joly’s help too! What’s happening? Is he sick? _Is he blind as well?_ Who is he?”

Jehan sighed. _Cosette, you’d better hurry here with Mother. The situation is getting out of hand._

_Don’t worry, we’re almost there._

“Eponine… Mother is coming here with Cosette. She’ll explain everything. In the meantime, can we please focus on Joly?” Jehan asked anxiously.

Eponine sighed, but she nodded. She told Marius to fetch a wet cloth, and passed it on Joly’s pale face.

“I think he’s just exhausted. He needs a bit of rest.”

Marius raised his eyebrows. _That spell… it must have been something completely extraordinary! I mean, knocking the bloody god of healing out cold is quite an accomplishment._

_Yes, but still… It’s backfiring. It means it’s imperfect. I don’t think this whole blindness thing was supposed to happen at all._

Joly moaned and turned his head on a side; the three gods watched him: now he breathed evenly, and a bit of colour was slowly returning to his cheeks.

Right then, they heard soft footsteps, and a second later Cosette threw herself at Eponine, hugging her tighly.

“Oh, Ep, I was so worried for you! Are you alright? How are your eyes? Oh Ep, I love you, I was so scared!” she sobbed.

“Whoa, Cosette, calm down. I’m fine now. I love you too. Calm down” she answered, caressing her friend’s blonde locks affectionately.

“Eponine, darling. I’m so glad you’re alright” Fantine said quietly, smiling at her daughter.

“Mother!” Eponine gently but quickly disentangled herself from her sister’s embrace and ran to her mother. Fantine smiled again and welcomed Eponine into her open arms. She caressed her dark wavy hair, and when she raised her eyes she caught the determined gaze of her other children. She nodded imperceptibly, and placed her right hand above the dark goddess’ head. A rosy light shone down on Eponine, and after a moment the goddess collapsed against her mother, deeply asleep.

“Thank you, Mother” Jehan said quietly, while Marius picked Eponine up and carried her out of the cave.

Fantine then kneeled at Joly’s side and blew air on his face. The god of healing instantly woke and stood up; he burst with energy, and when his roaming eyes landed on his Mother, he smiled and hugged her. She was always able to erase any dark thoughts he might have, any concern or pain he might feel.

“Thank you Mother, for giving me the Breath of Life. Let’s go get Enj, he needs my help!” he exclaimed.

They all went out in the sun; Cosette walked towards Marius, to give him a kiss. She gasped when she looked at her sister, asleep in her husband’s arms. Her skin had always been rather pale, but since the spell she had not seen the light of day: she was whiter than snow, like a dead human girl.

Fantine spoke. “Jehan, Marius, take her to the palace; place her in my rose garden. We’ll be there with Enjolras very soon.”

“Yes Mother” the two whispered. Jehan bowed and then they both disappeared with Eponine. Cosette, Joly and their mother held hands and transported themselves to the mountain lake where Grantaire was waiting for them with Enjolras.

*

The god of the sun didn’t experience any physical pain, but his fear and psychological suffering increased second by second. Grantaire held him tightly against his chest; he talked incessantly, trying to offer some comfort, but nothing seemed to reach Enjolras.

Grantaire understood perfectly: the god who was the manifestation of the brightest star in the sky, the god of light, the god who thought he had never seen the night sky, had found himself completely surrounded by darkness for the first time in his life, and for no apparent reason. Of course he would be panicking. Of course he would be terrified.

But all these reasons didn’t stop Grantaire from feeling how incredibly wrong that whole situation was. Enjolras had always been brave, and bold, and fearless, and proud. There had to be something amiss in the deep essence of the spell, there had to be, because not once, not once in their long existence had the golden god let fear rule his heart and his mind.

Grantaire sighed in relief when he heard the rustling of leaves; a minute later he saw Joly’s lean frame advancing towards them, followed closely by Cosette and their Mother.

“Who’s there, R? Who’s coming?” Enjolras whispered, trembling.

“Enj, it’s me. I’m here to help you” Joly answered sweetly. “I’m going to touch your hands, alright?”

Enjolras nodded, smiling faintly. He loved Joly and trusted him completely. He didn’t flinch when the god of healing touched his hands, and then his forehead and his cheeks. When he reached his eyes Enjolras stilled completely.

“Joly? You can help him, right?” Grantaire asked, worried.

The other god smiled. “Of course I can, R; just keep on holding Enj like that. And you Enjolras, do as I say. When I tell you to, you open your eyes, alright? I need to see your eyes to dispel the darkness.”

Enjolras nodded.

“Mother… If what happened earlier happens again, do not help me. Just let me rest. I don’t want you to get tired.”

“Nonsense darling. I will help you gladly. I’m the Mother of the gods, I don’t get tired easily!” she said, smiling encouragingly.

“What… what are you talking about? Is Mother here? Have you done this before? Is… is there someone else in my same predicament?” Enjolras asked, talking fast.

Grantaire and Joly shared a look.

“Don’t worry about it for now, just focus on what Joly is telling you” Grantaire said.

“On three Enj. One… two… three!”

Enjolras opened his eyes. Cosette gasped, horrified: the usually bright blue orbs were completely black, lifeless, dull, unfocused. It was painful to witness.

Joly’s face started to glow. Two luminous rays of light poured out of his eyes and into Enjolras’. The god of the sun smiled, joy and hope swelling inside him. The brighter the light became, the wider his smile got.

The moment the light got too much for everyone, both Joly and Enjolras let out a cry. Then the light disappeared, Joly collapsed and Cosette flew at his side.

“R?” Enjolras turned to look at his friend in the eye.

“Enj? Can you see me?” Grantaire beamed at him, and hugged him tightly. “I’m so happy. I’m so happy!”

Enjolras laughed, a little relieved, a little hysterical. He hugged Grantaire back, then turned towards Joly. The smile died on his lips: his brother’s face was ashen, the skin around his eyes livid. He looked like he was on the brink of death.

“Mother, please help him.” He begged in a feeble voice. “How could he ask you not to help him? How in the world did he think he could recover on his own? He looks dead!”

“Calm down Enjolras” his Mother answered. “I already breathed life into him. See? He’s waking up. Now come here and give me a hug!”

Enjolras obeyed. He encircled Fantine with his arms and buried his face in her neck, sighing in contentment. She didn’t waste time, and in a handful of seconds Enjolras had collapsed against her, asleep.

Swiftly Fantine handed Enjolras over to Grantaire and Cosette, and ordered “Go, join the others. I’ll be there shortly with Joly, as soon as he regains his full strength.”

Cosette and Grantaire nodded and disappeared with Enjolras, relieved that both their friends had been cured, but feeling that their relief wouldn’t last long.

 


	9. Chapter 9

_“Hello? Is… is someone here?” the goddess asked tentatively. She was alone in a place she had never seen before. There was something strange in the air, like a thin pink fog that covered every surface. That colour reminded her of a chamber she had seen, once, in a white and gold palace… but she was definitely walking on grass. Where was she?_

_A small, dark figure appeared in front of her. Some kind of animal, perhaps, she wasn’t sure. It stayed still for a few seconds, then bolted. The goddess shouted “Wait!” and ran after it._

_She could see a shiny black tail appearing and disappearing in the fog, a few steps ahead of her. When it suddenly stopped, she approached it silently. It was a black cat. Still as a statue, he was looking at the sky, waiting for something. The goddess did the same. After a few minutes, the cat raised his ears; she noticed, and sharpened hers. There was a sound... it was soft and regular; she was sure she had never heard it before, but somehow it also seemed very familiar. In the corner of her eye she glimpsed a white wing._

_“A dove?” she whispered._

_“Hello? Who’s there?” a deep, smooth voice suddenly said. The goddess’ heart beat faster. Someone was there with her._

_She answered “I’m here”, hoping that the voice would speak again, so that she would be able to follow it and find its owner. Before she could make two steps though, someone grabbed her forearm and she almost jumped in fright. She turned and her breath died on her lips. Standing before her, an astonished look on his face, was the most handsome young man she had ever seen._

_He had blue sparkling eyes, golden hair that shone even through the pink fog, and he was tall, so tall she had to crane her neck to look at his face. He had an air of solidity about him, but his golden, almost glowing complexion made her think of unearthly qualities as well. The image of a pale and evanescent water god flashed into her mind, although she wasn’t sure water was the element she would associate this boy with. Fire and light, she thought. He belongs to fire and light._ _“_

_Who are you?” she whispered, mesmerised._

_He frowned. “I’m… I…” He looked at her, helplessly. “I don’t know. I can’t remember my name.”_

_“Strange.” she murmured. “Mine is… I’m…”she fell silent._

_The blonde boy looked at her smirking with irony. “Annoying, huh?”_

_“Very.” she answered. Her pout didn’t last long, though. She directed a bright smile at him, and he felt something inside him click. His heart beat faster as he smiled back. Instinct told him to take her hand, so he did. She looked surprised for a second, then her grasp tightened._

_“I can’t remember a thing… but I feel like I know you. My body seems to know how to act around you.” he said, embarrassed and proud at the same time._

_“It’s the same for me!” she said hastily. “Something inside me recognized you the moment I saw you.”_

_The emotions displayed on his face were too many and too complex for the goddess to read, but she was sure every single one of them was reflected on her as well._

_They both just stayed there for a long time, hands clasped, smiles bright, eyes sparkling._

*

“Whoa! Their hands… look at their hands!” Marius almost shouted.

They had eased Enjolras and Eponine’s sleeping figures down under an arched latticework covered in climbing white blossoms; Fantine’s rose garden was one of the most beautiful spots the Palace’s grounds could offer. Surrounded by flowers they both looked peaceful and content, Enjolras’ head resting lightly on Eponine’s dark locks. But now something had changed. Without anyone noticing, the two bodies had shifted closer, and they were now clasping hands.

“Joly, what’s happening? Are they waking up?” Grantaire asked, worried.

The god of healing was already examining the couple. “No” he said after a minute. “But they’re communicating. I think somehow, in their sleep, they are able to talk. Mother… has something like this ever happened before?”

Fantine shook her head. “My sleep inducing powers have nothing to do with this, I’m afraid.”

“Then… will they remember everything while sleeping? We can’t risk that! What’s happening?” Jehan asked in worry.

“My guess… the most logical guess is… that the feelings they had for each other are so strong that they’re fighting the spell. That’s why they remembered bits and pieces of what was before so soon. And if they are reacting to it so strongly… there’s definitely something wrong.”

“Not in the spell, Mother. You and Father are infallible.” Cosette declared.

“No, not in the spell. I think there’s possibly something wrong in the _cause_ of that spell. I think, my children” she looked each of them in the eyes. “that it is time to visit Fate.”

*

_Nothing seemed interesting enough to tear the golden god’s gaze away from hers. Her eyes were so dark and deep and sweet and blazing and hypnotic. She was all those things, dark, deep, sweet, blazing, hypnotic. Her very essence was darkdeepsweetblazinghypnotic. He had no idea how he knew those things. He just accepted it. Besides, they felt so right._

_He raised his hands, cupping her face and caressing her smooth skin. She closed her eyes and sighed. Then he sank his fingers into her soft thick tresses, a gesture that came spontaneously, as if he had already done it thousands of times._

_A loud meow interrupted the moment. The goddess stepped away from him, looking for the source of the noise._

_“You!” she exclaimed when she spotted the black cat from earlier. He had impossibly blue eyes. She had already seen that shade of blue. But where?_

_“A cat? What is he doing here? And by the way…” the god looked around, frowning. “There was a dove… she led me to you.”_

_“I saw her too, she is beautiful!”_

_“Yes, she is.” he said, smiling softly. A flutter of wings was heard, and then the dove landed on the boy’s shoulder._

_“Hello” he greeted the bird happily._

_The goddess watched them for a bit, then she stooped down and picked the cat up, who instantly began purring. She pressed a kiss on his head, then asked “Why are these animals here? It’s like they know us.”_

_“I think they’re here to make us remember who we are. The managed to bring us together, and… I feel all is right with the world when I’m with you.” he said, firmly._

_The goddess blushed. “I feel the same.” she answered._

_“Then let’s spend some time with these two, see if we can get our memories back, alright?” he smiled._

_The goddess nodded with enthusiasm, her heart bursting with anticipation._

__


	10. Chapter 10

Fate had always had such a delicate and sensitive soul that he had chosen to live a little isolated from the rest of his brothers and sisters. He was very susceptible to change of moods, fleeting thoughts, unexpected actions.

The majority of mortals believed fate was something immovable, unchanging, written for everyone way ahead of time. It wasn’t that simple. Every man and woman had a path they had to travel, from the day they were born to the day of their death. But the path itself isn’t exactly a straight line; there are detours, rises, slopes, bends. Thoughts, little accidents, even the smallest action could cause the path to change its shape. Fate only determined the general direction of every path: whether people’s paths intertwined, or ran parallel to each other for years, or had hard collisions, or just casual brief encounters, it was all out of his control. He had no power over the twists and turns in the lives of mortals and deities.

When Fantine and her children appeared in the middle of a sun-kissed meadow, not far from the place Fate had chosen as his home, she signalled them to be quiet. They all closed their eyes, slowed their breathing down and tried to empty their hearts and minds of any unnecessary thought or concern. Concentrating exclusively on the matter at hand would avoid anything else drawing Fate’s focus off.

Grantaire filled every corner of his mind with his devotion to Enjolras, his beautiful smile, his laughing eyes, his fierceness and cunning. He filled his heart to the brim with his affection for Eponine, her dimples, her melodious voice, the soft curves of her body pressing against him when she hugged him tightly. The god smiled.

When he reopened his eyes he saw Marius and Cosette holding hands, foreheads touching, a soft smile on their lips. _Recollecting happy memories with Enjolras and Eponine, no doubt_. Joly was kneeling in the grass, eyes closed, hands on his heart. He was murmuring softly under his breath, smiling. _Reminiscing. I do hope Enj and Ep can be helped. We all love them so much._

*

_“We’ve been following those two for a while now, right? Where do you think..” The goddess fell silent when her blonde companion lifted his arm and motioned her to listen. She concentrated and right then she heard a calm splashing noise, like waves that rippled on shore._

_he two walked on for another minute, trying to see something beyond the pink fog. There wasn’t a trace of the cat or of the dove, but they couldn’t have gone too far. Suddenly the god let out an undignified squeal, followed by a mild curse and a lot of bouncing up and down. She burst out laughing. “_

_What happened?” she asked. “_

_Freezing water happened! I just walked straight into it. We’re standing in front of a lake, it’s this stupid fog’s fault, I can’t see where I’m going!” he replied, exasperated._

_She giggled. “Maybe, if you ask nicely, the fog will lift.”_

_He smiled, lifted his head and declared in a loud voice “Oh, sweet pink fog, will you disappear while we explore our surroundings?”_

_At first nothing happened. Then, very slowly, the fog thinned until it completely disappeared, revealing a cave and a pool of clear water. He looked at the goddess in complete disbelief; she laughed and said “See? Good manners will take you anywhere!”_

*

When Jehan’s mind was finally emptied save for the present circumstances, he took a minute or two to enjoy the sunrays on his fair skin. He didn’t walk on earth very often, being a water god; even now, with every step a small pool of water formed wherever his feet rested. When everyone was ready to go, he started walking slowly among the wild flowers, admiring the golden buttercups, the delicate bluebells, the astonishing blue of the forget-me-nots. He caressed the colourful corollas with his cool, dewy fingertips.

“What are you going to ask him, exactly, Mother?” Marius said.

“I want to know why our spell isn’t working properly. If he has seen so clearly the dangers and destruction caused by such a union, I want to know why a spell that was meant to keep two deities apart forever is completely backfiring.” Fantine answered, her cheeks red.

“Mother, if I may? Don’t speak so… fiercely.” Cosette smiled. “Enjolras and Eponine are suffering, but you know Fate’s conditions better than anyone.”

“I won’t be aggressive darling. I don’t want to upset him, but there must be some explanation for what’s happening. And with an explanation we’ll be able to help my two children, my poor, poor Enjolras and Eponine.”

_Oh gods, everyone STOP!_

_Joly?? What is it?_

_What’s happening, brother?_

_Just listen. Stay quiet and listen very carefully._

They all stood still, tense, listening. They gasped a few seconds later, when they heard a faint, muffled noise of metal clashing against metal.

_What’s going on? Are they being attacked?_

_Cosette, Mother, stay here. Grantaire, Joly, Jehan, with me!_

Marius guided his brothers quietly towards the entrance of the cave, where the noise originated from. Shielding it from mortal eyes was a series of boulders arranged in a semi-circle. The gods ran silently behind them, and peeked out. Jehan had to cover his mouth with his hand to prevent himself from gasping.

Their brothers, Bahorel and Feuilly, the two warrior gods whose task was to guard Fate’s cave against all kinds of threats, always the best of friends, were fighting each other violently, swords covered in red, faces and torsos and arms shining with blood. And fate’s abode lay there forgotten, exposed, unprotected.

*

_“I think I’ve seen this place before” she said, dipping her toes in the transparent water._

_“Have you? Talk about it then. It will help you remember.”_

_“I… I feel like I’m in my element here. It’s not… it’s not just the water, it’s this whole place, you know, the rocks, the silence, this dim light. I could close my eyes and see myself swimming in the lake, or walking along the shore, or sitting on it with my feet in the water.”_

_He smiled, looking at her tenderly. “Oddly enough, I can see you doing all these things too. But…” he bit his lower lip, worried._

_“What is it?” she asked._

_“W-when I think about you here, in this place… I feel kind of left out. And sad. And I can’t explain why. I just can’t shake the feeling that you shouldn’t have been here all alone, without… without me.” he concluded, breathless._

_She walked towards him, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. She took his hands and kissed his fingers. “I don’t know what happened in the past, but I can say this: I won’t ever willingly leave you behind. Whatever happens, I’m your friend: I’ll never push you away, I promise.”_

_Her words stirred something inside him. He cupped her cheeks with both hands, caressing the smooth silky skin. She leaned towards him, and he couldn’t resist: he brushed his lips against hers. They were so soft and inviting that when she sighed against him, he deepened the kiss. She completely melted in his arms. Her head was spinning, a feeling of elation overwhelming her entire body. He had never felt so complete in his life. He could have kept on kissing her for hours, days, weeks. When he felt the need to breathe, he leaned away and started attacking her neck with feathery kisses. Every time his lips touched her, a jolt of pleasure coursed through her, making her heart beat faster, her cheeks redden, her thoughts spin out of control._

_“Enj… Enjolras…” she moaned._

_He instantly stopped, broke away and looked at her, shocked._

_“What… what did you just call me?”_

_“Enjolras…” she breathed. “I-I think that’s your name… Enjolras. I’m not making this up, I think I remembered!”_

 


	11. Chapter 11

Marius turned quietly towards his brothers. “We need to stop them. Something awful is going on here. We need to understand why they’re fighting each other. Fate may be in danger!”

Grantaire nodded, his expression deadly serious. “Jehan and I will stop Feuilly; you and Joly take care of Bahorel, alright?”

The gods all nodded. Jehan whispered “On three. One… Two… Three!”

They sprung out from behind the boulders at the same time, running towards the two fighting warriors. Jehan threw himself on Feuilly’s shoulders, while Grantaire took hold of the sword and swiftly snatched it out of his brother’s grasp. Marius and Joly both tackled Bahorel to the ground, and his weapon fell down with a clatter.

The action was carried out with such a fierce and swift intensity that Feuilly and Bahorel put up no resistance. They went down compliantly enough, and once they hit the ground they lay there, apparently exhausted. Grantaire and Marius shared a concerned look. It took an unimaginable amount of time and energy to provoke such tiredness in a god. How long had they been tearing each other to pieces?

Joly was already fussing over them; while Jehan washed the blood off their faces and bodies with pure clean water that flowed from his fingertips, the god of healing passed his hands over cuts and bruises, swollen lips and black eyes, murmuring softly, pale and focused.

He worked and worked, trying to give them their strength back, but his two brothers didn’t seem to improve like he hoped. His frustration was growing, along with his exhaustion: the transmission of strength and health to other gods meant a significant loss of his own energy. His skin had turned ashen, his hands were shaking badly, his breath coming in ragged gasps. No one was paying attention to him though: Marius and Grantaire were exploring their surroundings, looking for proof that someone had been there to cast a spell on the warriors; Jehan was still busy washing away all the blood.

As soon as they made sure that no enemy was near, and that Feuilly and Bahorel were so weak and tired they no longer posed a threat, Grantaire went to fetch their mother and sister. When the goddesses saw the warriors lying on the ground, surrounded by pools of rosy water, they both gave out a cry of distress and rushed by their side. Cosette’s hands fluttered from one god to another like busy butterflies, caressing cheeks, smoothing down locks of hair, tracing the line of jaws and noses. Fantine was more collected, although she was beginning to feel a cold and paralyzing dread in her heart. Once she ascertained that both her sons were in no mortal danger, she asked Marius to take Joly away. One look had been enough for her to understand that he had been so focused on healing his brothers that he had almost no energy left. He looked worse than when he had cured Eponine of her blindness.

Joly protested weakly, but Marius shushed him tenderly and took him a few feet away, easing his weakened frame on the ground, his back against a boulder.

“Stay here, I’ll be right back, ok Joly?” Marius asked, touching his brother’s forehead lightly. A clammy hand feebly grasped his wrist.

“Don’t…  you have to… don’t let Mother give them the breath of life. They are too far gone, they’re almost on the brink of death, and-and that’s saying something. The effort would be too much… even… even for her. Tell her sh-she mustn’t revive them fully… just… just long enough so they can explain… explain…” his voice cracked. His eyes closed, his grip on Marius’ wrist slackened. In a handful of seconds he fell asleep, overwhelmed by fatigue.

“Alright Joly. I’ll take care of everything, don’t worry” the god of love said softly, smiling. He kissed his brother’s forehead, then hurried back to the others.

*

_Her heart was beating so fast she felt like it might take flight. Enjolras – she wasn’t quite sure how she knew his name, but she was certain it belonged to him – was studying her, his expression wary._

_“How… how…?” he didn’t even know what to ask._

_She took his hands, drawing reassuring circles on his palms with her thumbs. “I think it’s working. This whole reminiscing process. That name popped into my mind and I’m positive it is_ your _name. Soon you’ll remember mine.” she smiled. “Enjolras.” she repeated. “It’s a beautiful name.”_

*

“I’ll go and watch over Joly. He shouldn’t be alone right now.” Cosette stated right after Marius reported his brother’s instructions. She walked away, while all the other gods formed a circle around Fantine and the two warriors. The Mother placed Bahorel’s and Feuilly’s hands in her lap. She concentrated for a minute, her breathing slow and deep. The air around her shimmered and flashed pink, and suddenly the two gods woke up, gasping and coughing.

“Wh-what the hell happened?” Bahorel rasped. He moved his head left to right, then his eyes widened and he tried to sit up; Grantaire immediately pushed him back down. “It’s fine, you’re fine, Bahorel. You’re safe” he told his brother.

Bahorel’s gaze focused on Grantaire’s blue eyes. “R? Where’s Feuilly? What’s happening?”

“I’m right here” a gravelly voice said. Feuilly had woken up too, his head in Jehan’s lap.

“My boys. I’m so glad you’re both fine.” Fantine smiled, relief washing over her. The effort of bringing her sons awake had weakened her, but the joy of hearing their voices again had brought colour on her cheeks and sparks in her eyes.

“Mother, Jehan, Marius, R… what are you all doing here? Why am I feeling so… ill?” Feuilly asked.

“You mean you don’t remember anything?” Jehan asked in disbelief. “We came here and saw you two fighting to the death! That’s why you’re so debilitated.”

Feuilly and Bahorel looked completely stricken.

“I don’t… I just remember the darkness. I suppose it was night…?” Bahorel fell silent, biting his lower lip.

Feuilly furrowed his brow, deep in thought. “There was movement, just beyond the boulders. Like a shadow, darker than night itself. I went to check it out…”

“…and I watched you go, and I had this strange feeling that something wasn’t right, and that’s the last thing I remember!” Bahorel finished.

An uneasy silence followed. Jehan was the first to break it. “So… can we assume that someone cast a spell on you, a spell that would distract you both and leave the entrance of the cave unguarded? For the whole night and part of the morning?”

The two warriors blanched.

“No….”

“ _Fate_! What are we still doing here, we need to get to Fate, NOW!” Bahorel flailed wildly, trying to get up, but his wrecked body would not respond to his will.

“You two can’t go anywhere right now, you’re still weak! Stay here and rest, I’ll tell Cosette to look after you.” Fantine said sternly. She looked up to her other children, worry etched on her pale face. “We need to go in, _now_.”

*

_“Come on Enj, let's get out of here. Something tells me your colouring is best suited for sunny fields of flowers, rather than underground lakes.” she smiled._

_He looked dubious. “Are you sure? It's beautiful down here, and I can see that you love it.”_

_“I do.” she answered. “And being here made me remember something important. I think we should go somewhere you also feel comfortable. You'll see, it will help you too!”_

_Enjolras couldn't resist her confident, excited gaze. He reached out and entwined his fingers with hers, leading her out into the bright sunlight._

__


End file.
